One piece reamer for use in boring operations of gas and oil mining

ABSTRACT

The present invention extends to a single piece reamer having multiple sets of blades. Each set of blades can be positioned at opposite ends of the reamer. In some embodiments, each blade can be positioned on the reamer to have a leftward orientation. Also, in some embodiments, each blade can have a rounded radial edge such that the radius of the blade with respect to the reamer is greater at the middle than at the edges.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/762,731, entitled “One Piece Reamer for Use in Boring Operations of Gas and Oil Mining,” filed Feb. 8, 2013.

BACKGROUND

A reamer is often used for boring operations in the oil and gas industries. Generally, a reamer is used after a borehole has been drilled to enlarge the borehole to a desired and accurate diameter. The external diameter of the reamer is generally greater than the external diameter of the drill bit used to create the bore hole. Accordingly, as the reamer is lowered through the borehole, the spinning of the reamer accurately and uniformly enlarges the diameter of the borehole.

These reamers are in the shape of a tube with the blades extending radially from the outer diameter of the tube. Current reamers used for boring operations have a single set of blades per piece of the reamer. For example, a reamer having a length or three feet can include one set of blades. However, to create a reamer having a length of six inches with two sets of blades, two individual reamer pieces are combined. One reason for requiring multiple pieces is that current manufacturing techniques are unable to produce a single piece that contains multiple sets of blades.

There are various drawbacks to the multi-piece design of current reamers. For example, a reamer consisting of multiple pieces is generally less stable and weaker than a single piece reamer would be.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present invention extends to a single piece reamer having multiple sets of blades. Each set of blades can be positioned at opposite ends of the reamer. In some embodiments, each blade can be positioned on the reamer to have a leftward orientation. Also, in some embodiments, each blade can have a rounded radial edge such that the radius of the blade with respect to the reamer is greater at the middle than at the edges.

In some embodiments, the present invention is implemented as a reamer comprising a single cylindrical shape having a first outer diameter, and a plurality of sets of blades positioned on opposite ends of the single cylindrical shape

In some embodiments, the present invention is implemented as a reamer for use in boring operations in oil and gas mining. The reamer may comprise a single tube of metal, and two sets of blades formed at opposite ends of the single tube, the sets of blades being formed on opposite sides of the single tube. In other embodiments, more than two sets of blades may be utilized on a single tube.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features of the invention can be obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1A illustrates a front view of a reamer according to one or more embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 1B illustrates a side view of a reamer according to one or more embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 1C illustrates a bottom view of a reamer according to one or more embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 1D illustrates a perspective view of a reamer according to one or more embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 1E illustrates a front view of a set of blades on a reamer according to one or more embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 1F illustrates a clockwise rotation of a reamer; and

FIGS. 1G and 1H each illustrate a side view of a blade on a reamer according to one or more embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention extends to a single piece reamer having multiple sets of blades. Each set of blades can be positioned at opposite ends of the reamer. In some embodiments, each blade can be positioned on the reamer to have a leftward orientation. Also, in some embodiments, each blade can have a rounded radial edge such that the radius of the blade with respect to the reamer is greater at the middle than at the edges.

In some embodiments, the present invention is implemented as a reamer comprising a single cylindrical shape having a first outer diameter, and a plurality of sets of blades positioned on opposite ends of the single cylindrical shape

In some embodiments, the present invention is implemented as a reamer for use in boring operations in oil and gas mining. The reamer may comprise a single tube of metal, and two sets of blades formed at opposite ends of the single tube, the sets of blades being formed on opposite sides of the single tube. In other embodiments, more than two sets of blades may be utilized on a single tube.

FIGS. 1A-1H illustrate various views of a reamer 100 according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 1A illustrates a front view of reamer 100. As shown, reamer 100 comprises a single piece or tube. This single piece includes two sets of blades 101 a, 101 b as better shown in the side, bottom, and perspective views of FIGS. 1B-1D respectively. Alternatively, the reamer may comprise three sets of blades, four sets of blades, five sets of blades, six sets of blades, or up to ten sets of blades. Alternatively, the blades may be a series of single blades arranged longitudinally along the length of the reamer. Additionally, the blades may be arranged around the circumference of the reamer 100 in a helical pattern, or otherwise off set around the circumference of the reamer 100.

As shown, the sets of blades 101 a, 101 b can be positioned on opposite sides and at opposite ends of reamer 100. Each blade 101 a, 101 b may be formed within the same single piece of material (e.g. metal) thereby forming a single component with multiple blades. Additionally, in some embodiments the blades may be placed in a position that is closer together relative to their position along the longitudinal axis of a reamer 100.

FIG. 1E illustrates a close-up front view of a set of blades (101 a or 101 b). As shown, each blade is angled to the left of vertical to form a left-hand spiral. FIG. 1E identifies this angle as θ which, in some embodiments, may be between 18 and 19 degrees, although other angles can also be used. For example, the angle may be between 1 and 90 degrees, 10 and 45 degrees, 15 and 30 degrees. Further, in some embodiments, the pitch associated with this left-hand spiral can be between 55 and 60, and in a particular embodiment approximately 57. Other angles may also be utilized. For example, the left, or right, hand spiral can be between 1 and 360 degrees, 5 and 180 degrees, 10 and 90 degrees, or 20 and 60 degrees.

Most reamers have blade orientations that are angled to the right and are rotated to the right (i.e. clockwise when viewed from the bottom as shown in FIG. 1F). However, as shown in FIG. 1F, reamer 100 is configured to rotate to the right while having its blades angled to the left. This configuration may be utilized to enhance the reaming ability of the reamer.

FIGS. 1G and 1H each illustrate a side view of a single blade in the set of blades 101 a, 101 b. As shown, the blade has a rounded shape such that the cutters in the middle of the blade have a greater outer radius (with respect to the cylindrical shape of the reamer) than the cutters at the edges of the blade. Specifically, cutters 110 c and 110 d have a greater outer radius than cutters 110 a and 110 f. This rounding or tapering of the blades can cause reamer 100 to be more aerodynamic while still enabling the reaming of the well bore to reduce or eliminate “dog legs” (i.e. a rapid change in the trajectory of the well bore). Alternatively, because the reamer 100 may be structured to bore a hole with a diameter that is greater than the outside diameter of the reamer, some embodiments of a reamer 100 may be structured to allow the bore hole to change directions from vertical to horizontal, or any degree of change in the angle of the bore hole relative to vertical. For example, the reamer is designed to accommodate bore holes that change from vertical to thirty degrees off vertical, ten degrees off vertical, twenty degrees of vertical, forty degrees off vertical, fifty degrees off vertical, or any bend in the bore hole between vertical and horizontal.

As shown in the figures, each blade can include six cutters. However, in other embodiments, one or more blades can contain a different number of cutters. Also, in some embodiments, the cutters can be PDC cutters. For example, a blade 101 a, 101 b may comprise one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or as many as fifty individual cutters.

As also shown in the figures, each set of blades 101 a, 101 b can include four blades. However, other numbers of blades can equally be used. Further, although two sets of blades are shown in the figures, more than two sets of blades can be included in some embodiments. As depicted in FIGS. 1G and 1H each of the cutters 110 a-110 f comprise a cylindrical shape. Alternatively, the cutters 110 a-110 f may be hexagonal. Alternatively, the cutters may comprise multiple sides including: three sides, four sides, five sides, six sides, seven sides, eight sides, nine sides, ten sides, eleven sides, twelve sides, thirteen sides, fourteen sides, fifteen sides, twenty sides, twenty-four sides, or as many as fifty sides. Alternatively, each cutter 110 a-110 f may comprise between three and eight sides, three and ten sides, three and twenty sides, three and fifty sides, or any alternative number of sides up to fifty sides.

Reamer 100 can be configured with various different lengths and diameters. In a particular embodiment, reamer 100 can be six feet in length and have a ream diameter of over six inches. In other embodiments, the reamer 100 may be one feet long, two feet long, three feet long, four feet long, five feet long, six feet long, seven feet long, eight feet long, or as long as twenty feet. In some embodiments the reamer 100 may be designed at a length that comprises an additional fraction of length. For example, the reamer 100 may be 6′6″, 6′1″, 6′2″, 6′3″, 6′4″, 6′5″, 6′7″, 6′8″, 6′9″, 6′10″, or any alternative. In addition, the reamer 100 can also be configured to comprise alternative ream diameters. For example, the ream diameter may be between one and six inches, less than one inch, one and ten inches, one and fifteen inches, one and twenty inches, one and fifty inches, or any alternative diameter between 0.01 inches and fifty inches. Reamer 100 can also be configured with various connections including, for example, an XT39 connection.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. 

What is claimed:
 1. A reamer comprising: a single cylindrical shape having a first outer diameter; and a plurality of sets of blades positioned on opposite ends of the single cylindrical shape.
 2. The reamer of claim 1, wherein each blade in the set of blades has a leftward orientation with respect to a vertical axis of the single cylindrical shape.
 3. The reamer of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sets of blades comprises two sets of blades.
 4. The reamer of claim 1, wherein each set of blades includes four blades.
 5. The reamer of claim 1, wherein each blade in the set of blades has a tapered external radius such that cutters in the middle of the blade have a greater ream diameter than cutters at the edges of the blade.
 6. The reamer of claim 1, wherein each blade in the set of blades includes six cutters.
 7. The reamer of claim 6, wherein each cutter is a PDC cutter.
 8. The reamer of claim 1, wherein the single cylindrical shape comprises a metal tube.
 9. The reamer of claim 1, wherein the single cylindrical shape has a length of at least six feet.
 10. The reamer of claim 1, wherein each set of blades is positioned on opposite sides of the single cylindrical shape.
 11. The reamer of claim 1, wherein the ream diameter of the reamer is greater than six inches.
 12. A reamer for use in boring operations in oil and gas mining, the reamer comprising: a single tube of metal; and two sets of blades formed at opposite ends of the single tube, the sets of blades being formed on opposite sides of the single tube.
 13. The reamer of claim 12, wherein each blade in the set of blades has a tapered external radius such that the ream diameter at the middle of the blade is greater than the ream diameter at the edge of the blades.
 14. The reamer of claim 12, wherein each set of blades is arranged in a leftward spiraling configuration such that, when the reamer is positioned vertically, the top of each blade is positioned to the left of the bottom of the blade.
 15. The reamer of claim 14, wherein the reamer is configured to rotate to the right such that, when rotated while positioned vertically in a borehole, the bottom of each blade reaches a horizontal position in the borehole prior to the top of the blade reaching the horizontal position.
 16. The reamer of claim 12, wherein the length of the single tube of metal is at least six feet.
 17. The reamer of claim 13, wherein the ream diameter at the middle of the blade is greater than six inches.
 18. The reamer of claim 12, wherein the reamer is structured to bore horizontally.
 19. The reamer of claim 12, wherein the reamer is structured to allow the bore hole to change from vertical to horizontal effectively accommodating bore holes that change their angle of boring from vertical to any angle relative to vertical. 